Novel herbicidal imidazolinyl benzoic acids, esters and salts, their preparation and use are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,487 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,128 and pending application for U.S. patent Ser. Nos. 579,224, 631,283 and 629,296, while various novel pyridine and quinoline imidazolinone compounds are described in pending applications for U.S. patent Ser. Nos. 382,041 and 616,747. Pending Application for U.S. patent Ser. No. 676,133, filed Nov. 29, 1984, describes herbicidal (2-imidazolin-2-yl)-thieno- and furo[2,3-b] and (3,2-b]pyridines, their preparation and use.
It is an object of this invention to provide the novel herbicidal (2-imidazolin-2-yl) fused heteropyridine compounds of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein D--E together with the two aromatic carbon atoms to which they are joined, represents a five or six membered ring containing from one to three heteroatoms, which may contain a variety of substituents: a method for their preparation; and the use of said compounds for controlling a wide variety of annual and perennial plant species therewith.